1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sabots used with elastomeric projectiles, projectile cartridges containing an elastomeric projectile, and methods and systems for making projectile cartridges containing an elastomeric projectile.
2. The Relevant Technology
Sabots are commonly used within shotgun shells and some rigid bullet cartridges to provide a gas seal between the exploding propellant and the projectile and to stabilize the projectile during the firing process. A typical sabot used in shotgun shells comprises a tubular sleeve that bounds a compartment and has a floor formed at one end thereof. Spaced apart, longitudinal slits are formed on the sleeve at the end opposite the floor so as to form a plurality of leaves. The sabot is positioned within the outer shell above the exploding propellant and the projectile or shot is positioned within the compartment of sabot. When the shell is fired, the projectile and sabot concurrently travel down the length of the shotgun barrel. As the sabot exits the barrel, the leaves on the sabot radially, outwardly expand causing the sabot to slow and separate from the projectile. Sabots have been used for single body projectiles such as slugs, bullets and fin stabilized darts or rockets. In these alternative embodiments, the sabots can either separate from the projectile directly after exiting the barrel or become part of the projectile to increase the desired aerodynamic properties.
Although conventional sabots are useful in the launching of standard projectiles as discussed above, conventional sabots are not designed for use with elastomeric projectiles. Elastomeric, non-lethal projectiles are projectiles made from a flexible, elastomeric material that expands on impact to debilitate a recipient but not produce terminal injury. However, due to the unique properties of elastomeric projectiles, such projectiles can be difficult to load into conventional sabots and conventional sabots can impede the discharge or trajectory of such projectiles.
Furthermore, the prior art encompasses numerous methods and machines for loading projectiles. However, such prior art methods and machines are not designed for loading very elastic projectiles of high surface friction where the diameter of the projectile is larger than the diameter of the shell into which it is being loaded.